Chapter 423

【Jingzhou circles warmly celebrate the new situation of peaceful development, Wang Yi cordially meets with social worthies.】

Recently, Wang Yi, the imperial envoy and concurrently the Chief Clerk of Jingzhou, acting as the governor of the province, met with representatives of all circles in Jingzhou in Jiangling and delivered an important speech.

Wang Yi first expressed his gratitude on behalf of the imperial court to the people from all walks of life who have long supported the stability of Jingzhou and ensured the recovery of people's livelihoods. He pointed out that the fact that Jingzhou could be pacified so quickly was not due to the strength of one person or one army, but the result of the Jingzhou scholars and people responding with one heart and working together.

Wang Yi emphasized that Jingzhou is currently at a critical stage of transitioning from chaos to order and from danger to safety. The whole province must adhere to the basic strategy of "cultivating military for preparation, and settling the people as the foundation." While maintaining a high degree of vigilance, one must also strengthen confidence, seize the current favorable opportunity, accelerate the restoration of production, and consolidate defense.

It is necessary to promote harmony in the relationship between scholars and people, officials and people, and the military and people, and promote all parties to work hand in hand to lay a solid foundation for long-term stability in Jingzhou and the people's peaceful life and work.

When meeting with Jingzhou's noble families and celebrities, Wang Yi pointed out that Jingzhou has been a place of flourishing figures and gathering of the elite since ancient times. In the Battle of Jiangling, all families planned and determined strategies, helping with all their might, and their merits were very significant. History and practice have proven that noble families are worthy of being the cornerstone of governance and the pillars of the state!

When meeting with the generals in the army, Wang Yi fully affirmed the merits of the soldiers in the process of pacifying Jingzhou and gave important instructions on consolidating the victory in the next step.

That evening, Wang Yi had a small-scale tea chat and banquet with Seeing Yu Yi.

Director Liu Tan Tan and Le Zhan participated in the above activities.

The above process seems monotonous, and the news sounds routine, but there is much that can be interpreted.

First of all, Wang Yi said he represented the imperial court rather than the provincial government; this is acting and deciding in the capacity of an imperial envoy, not just as the Chief Clerk of Jingzhou.

Then it inevitably leads to speculation: did Wang Yi receive instructions from the imperial court in advance? Or did the Son of Heaven have any special instructions for him?

After all, Wang Yi came to Jingzhou originally to visit the barbarian tribes, then suddenly issued a Chief Clerk's order to gather troops, and now has entered Jingzhou city to govern. Is this a contingency plan that the Son of Heaven had already set?

Whether or not he represents the imperial court is very important, especially for this group of people who, whether actively, forced, or half-pushed, boarded the Prince of Badong's pirate ship. Representing the imperial court means setting an official tone in advance for this Jingzhou rebellion. Wang Yi either has a trump card, or he has confidence, or he is willing to take political risks and decide on the spot.

Wang Yi said "cultivating military for preparation, and settling the people as the foundation," with military cultivation actually placed before settling the people, showing that the crisis has not yet been resolved. Regarding this point, there is no need to analyze Wang Yi's news; just looking at the situation of Jingzhou's city defense being like facing a great enemy is enough to know. This is to guard against the Prince of Badong and his remnants making a comeback.

"Relationship between scholars and people, officials and people, military and people," with scholars and people ranked first. It can be seen that Wang Yi values noble families the most, or at least wants to show that he values them the most. This is no wonder, as Wang Yi himself is a noble. However, many noble families in Jingzhou have rebelled! Especially Seeing Yu Yi, who even took the lead in rebelling!

But Wang Yi didn't move a single one of them; not only did he not move them, but he also praised the merits of the noble families for their righteousness and had a tea chat with Seeing Yu Yi. This is the intention to govern Jingzhou together with the Jingzhou scholars and officials. And Seeing Yu Yi's participation in the tea chat also represents the supportive attitude of the Jingzhou noble families toward Wang Yi.

Also participating in the tea chat were Director Liu Tan Tan and Le Zhan.

It is normal for Director Liu Tan Tan to participate; he has great merits and is a person with real power, originally at the center of power. But Le Zhan's participation is somewhat intriguing.

Although the rank of the Assistant Governor is high, it has never been a key position in charge of practical affairs. However, it is said that this time in seizing the gate and breaking the city, Lady Le acted as the liaison, and Lady Xie Fourth Young Lady also participated. In addition, after the Prince of Badong conscripted the tribal army, the Le family was actually able to quickly mobilize a team of tribal troops! Now they have entered the city to assist in defense.

(Chapter 266, "Just Didn't Feel Autumn at the Time": "The tribal carriages and horses are all concentrated in Jiangling, no, half to Jiangling, the other half to..." Lady Le pondered indecisively. Le Zhan said: "How about Yanwei Island?" Lady Le nodded: "This is a key point, closest to Jiangling, but if there is any change, Yanwei Island is a place that must be contested, and our few people probably won't be able to hold it. Husband, what do you think of Green Forest Mountain? There is a mountain villa there that can be used as a reliance; if there is an emergency, we can retreat to the deep mountains...")

Therefore, Le Zhan's participation in this tea chat is seen by many as a signal that he has entered the core power layer. At the same time, this is also a kind of appeasement. Because Le Zhan also rebelled, now he is included in the new political pattern of Jingzhou together with Seeing Yu Yi. First, it shows Wang Yi's attitude of trust; second, it shows that Wang Yi has no intention of taking this opportunity to clear out the power of the Jingzhou noble families.

Interestingly, among the "Four Giants," Wang Yi and Seeing Yu Yi are one from the Kyoto faction and one from the local faction. Director Liu Tan Tan and Le Zhan are the same. So is this balance formed by accident or deliberately?

Wang Yi is deliberate.

He and Director Liu Tan Tan led a lonely army from a remote county to raid Jiangling. Now that they have entered the city, the reality has been known by the city, the teachers are old and the soldiers are tired, and there are strong enemies outside. If there is no support from local forces, they simply cannot stand firm. If there is internal suspicion again, it will be self-defeating; there is no need for the Prince of Badong to come and fight, maybe they will wake up one morning with a knife at their necks.

So he governs Jingzhou with the Jingzhou people, suppressing it with stillness; not only does he not mention the matter of accountability, but even the family members of the Prince of Badong's confidants, he didn't move a single one, just closed the Prince's mansion and sealed the treasury.

Wang Yi's attitude united the noble families to the greatest extent and stabilized people's hearts. He is not worried about the noble families now, and not even worried about the Prince of Badong, at least not for the moment. Because the Prince of Badong is far away in Jiangzhou, let alone bringing troops back, he will have to wait a long time just to receive the news.

But there is one person whose threat to Jingzhou may be even greater than the Prince of Badong.

That is Wang Yang.

Before, Wang Yang said there were reinforcements coming to save Wenyang. Wang Yi had been unable to guess where the reinforcements came from, but later he knew.

That night, the Wenyang army attacked with all its strength and, together with the Southern Barbarian army, attacked from inside and outside, almost annihilating Kong Kong Zhangyu's army! It swept away the depression and stuffiness of being besieged for days!

But after the great victory, when the army was gathered, Wang Yi looked at his soldiers who were exhausted and at the end of their strength, while the main force of the three Southern Barbarian tribes was almost intact, lined up on the opposite side, a black mass, like the accumulation of momentum before the tide rises!

At that time, his whole body was cold.

If the barbarian soldiers had swarmed up, Wenyang would have been destroyed in the blink of an eye!

Now after the great war, the province and county are empty, and the three barbarian armies are like wolves and tigers. In Jingzhou, who can resist? Whenever he thinks of the scene at that time, he still has lingering fears!

Fortunately, the barbarian army didn't have any outrageous actions; they just took a wave of grain and military supplies left by Kong Kong Zhangyu and then quickly retreated.

But this actually shocked him even more than if the barbarian soldiers had attacked directly!

This shows that Wang Yang can really control the three barbarian tribes!

He was actually able to let the barbarians give up the great opportunity to take advantage of the situation and leave as soon as they wanted!

What kind of prestige is this!

Now most of the Jingzhou noble families are on good terms with Wang Yang. If Wang Yang has different intentions...

He didn't tell anyone about this worry, not even Director Liu Tan Tan. He thought about it repeatedly for a long time and finally concluded that the best way to deal with this worry!

That is—

Do not deal with it.

Yes, if Wang Yang really wants to take Jingzhou, with his talent and his strength, how could he be stopped by himself?

And if he doesn't want to take Jingzhou, then guarding against suspicion and increasing gaps is not only useless but harmful.

Thinking through this point, Wang Yi no longer guards against Wang Yang; this is also one of the reasons why he dares to lead Seeing Yu Yi and Le Zhan into power.

In this way, even if the good nephew really rebels one day, looking at the uncle's sincerity and lack of defense, he will have to remember some uncle-nephew feelings, right?

Wang Yi sighed.

"Sigh—"

Inside the ancestral mansion, by the side of the small lake, the long stones are like mirrors.

Liu Zhao sits in Xiang Xiu's seat, sighing.

In the past, Liu Zhao "only deserved" to sit in Liu Ling's seat, but after a "short stay in prison," Zong Ce was very satisfied with Liu Zhao's performance of being at peace with the situation, so he upgraded his old friend and let Liu Zhao sit in the seat of Xiang Xiu that Zong Ce himself sat in before.

As for Zong Ce himself—Liu Zhao has been upgraded, so he must be upgraded even more! So he began to officially sit in Shan Tao's seat.

Liu Zhao sighed:

"Scholars should not get involved in power. Once involved in power, it is like a boat entering a rapid current, wanting to return but having no way. This is also the reason why I only serve as a school official and refuse to seek advancement..."

Zong Ce said lightly:

"You couldn't seek it anyway."

Liu Zhao said angrily:

"Who said I—"

Halfway through, he felt that talking about his own opportunities for advancement was too vulgar, so he waved his hand:

"Forget it, forget it, I won't argue with you."

Zong Ce's voice was leisurely:

"It's not that you don't argue, but you can't argue. Mainly because even if you went up, you wouldn't be able to handle it! Do you have Zhiyan's ability?"

"I don't, so I feel sorry for Zhiyan—"

Zong Ce laughed lightly:

"Sorry for what? A great man rises with the times, lets go and fights, what if he succeeds?"

Liu Zhao was angered enough by Zong Ce's unreliability:

"Eh, it's not you—"

"Besides, without Zhiyan rising with the times, could you and I have had such comfortable days in prison? The jailers are afraid of us, but little Ba is not."

Liu Zhao looked at the calm lake, the water reflecting the sky and clouds, a scene of peace. But his eyes were full of irrepressible worry and pain:

"But... he is rebelling!"

"That's not necessarily true."

A female voice came, and the two turned to look. They saw Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan in a white gauze scholar's shirt, her black hair all tied up, revealing a neck like snow porcelain, her waist tied with a dark green silk belt, and wearing a specially made light sword.

A plain jade pendant hung on the sword tassel, swaying gently with her steps, occasionally touching the scabbard, making a clear sound, rhyming with the elegance of the jade terrace, her posture condensing the bones of a fairy beauty.

Zong Ce sighed with admiration:

"It's a pity I only have sons; if I had such a fairy daughter, then—"

Liu Zhao continued:

"Then she wouldn't be your daughter..."

"Eh, it's not you—"

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan bowed:

"Uncle Liu, Uncle Zong."

"Lady Xie girl is here, quickly—uh—"

Zong Ce originally wanted to invite Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan to sit, but suddenly he was in a dilemma. Liu Zhao had a look of "I'll see where you let her sit."

"Lady Xie girl, listen to me first, these seven seats of mine cannot be sat in casually..."

Then he told Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan the story of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" that Wang Yang had heard before (see Chapter 49), and then tangled:

"With Lady Xie girl's intelligence and spirit, sitting in Ruan Xian's seat is definitely qualified, but—"

Before he finished speaking, Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan walked directly to the nearest stone seat and sat down straight away.

Zong Ce was immediately anxious:

"I haven't allowed you to sit yet!"

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan smiled:

"Since I sit in the seat of the Seven Sages, why do I need permission?"

Zong Ce was stunned, pointing at Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, his eyes full of strange colors:

"Interesting, interesting! I heard before that Lady Xie Daoyun's expression was scattered and clear, with the style of the forest. Lady Xie girl has the title of 'Little Lady Xie Daoyun,' her spirit is clear, not losing to the sages! And the position you sit in also has a fate with you! This is Wang Rong's position, which is—the position of the Langya Wang family."

Zong Ce deliberately dragged out the sound, his eyes squinting with a smile.

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan no longer had the free and easy attitude just now, and her jade cheeks were instantly stained with red clouds.

Liu Zhao didn't understand at first why the seat of the Langya Wang family had a fate with Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan; after thinking about it carefully, he realized this was teasing Wang Yang and Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, because Lady Xie Daoyun married into the Langya Wang family.

Sigh, this old unreliable person is really making random connections; people are just friends interacting, making friends through learning, no one thought of that, you pull it hard to the front, how awkward!

Lady Xie girl's face is thin, and it was not easy to turn from enemies to friends with Wang Yang...

He was worried that Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan would be angry, so he said to Zong Ce:

"Don't make such groundless jokes."

Zong Ce:...

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan: (→_→)